Odisha Medical Officer gets 2 years imprisonment in bribery case

Cuttack: Holding a medical officer guilty of taking a bribe in 2014, a Special Vigilance Court in Cuttack has sentenced him to 2 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.

The court convicted the accused on charges of bribery on Tuesday based on the evidence presented by the prosecution and punished him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which was enacted to combat corruption in government agencies and public sector businesses in India.

The accused was a Medical Officer of Madhuban Community Health Centre (CHC) in the Jajpur district when the case was brought to attention in 2014. Presently, he holds the position of a medical officer at the district headquarters hospital in Bhadrak.

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A press release issued by the Odisha Vigilance mentioned "Dr ***, Ex-Medical Officer, Madhuban CHC, Jajpur, A/p-Medical Officer, Dist Headquarters Hospital, Bhadrak, who was charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance in Spl. Judge, Vig, CTC TR No.30/2014 for taking a bribe, was convicted to 2 years in jail & fine of Rs.10,000/."

According to a TOI news report, the medical officer was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe from a contractual health worker as he had no intention to take any disciplinary action against the worker for unauthorized absence during supervision.

In response to this, a case was registered against the medical officer by the state vigilance under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Following this, the case was moved to the special court which found the medical officer guilty of his actions after Special public prosecutor Sarbeswar Barik and assistant public prosecutor Deepak Kumar Swain argued the case on behalf of the prosecution.

The Court further ruled that on default of payment of fine, the doctor shall have to undergo further RI for six months more for the offence under section 13(2)/7 of the PC Act of 1988, the release added.

Meanwhile, Dr ***'s current position as a medical officer at the district headquarters hospital in Bhadrak has led the vigilance department to initiate the process of seeking competent authority for his dismissal.

"Odisha Vigilance will now move the competent authority for dismissal of the doctor, A/p-Medical Officer, District Headquarters Hospital, Bhadrak from service following his conviction," reads the press release.

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